Well, unfortunately, Baffert hasn’t followed through on his promise of overseeing operations. He should have checked a Derby horse’s medicine content to avoid this process again.

I would fire the vet, he’s the one who’s supposed know what’s in the medicine he’s prescribing and the consequences! Or, he should not be working with race or show horses!

The HRN article provides good background on other trainer’s violations.

Motion over 30 years 1 minor violation.

Clement over 30 years 1 minor violation 

Shireffs over 45 years 0 violations

Lukas over 40+ years 1 violation 

Baffert over 40 years 29 violations

Baffert over the past year I believe has had 5 violations, at least 3 in top level races.

Now I don’t claim to know what happened here, but Baffert’s ever changing stories and claims of innocence are running thin.  I can tell you this, he is guilty of sloppy and shoddy management and he is out of that excuse as far as I’m concerned.

When I visited an online publication yesterday and it is truly a political site and the lead story is Baffert, that is terrible for horse racing.

When a major news cable outlet covers the story and leads off with Lance Armstrong proclaiming his innocence, Alex Rodriguez proclaiming his innocence, And Barry Bonds proclaiming his innocence then followed by Baffert proclaiming his innocence, the general public will not will not take kindly to horse racing.

Bob Baffert and his practices are now harming thoroughbred racing.  I’m not inclined to view him kindly at this point.

And let’s not forget the five plus young horses that perished in his barn a few years ago of unknown causes but had thyroid medication in their systems.

Well said.  As is this article:

Our Voices:  Enough Already

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/250072/our-voices-enough-already

this is probably a common use for this drug and a trainer or anyone else should asolutely know what is being used, even topically............for a rash. Bet they thought it would not get into his sytem,as a topical, but steroids are sneaky that way..........Sad for the horse,as he cannot speak for himself          

Sandy

This is exactly why we need the Governing Body that the Horse Racing integrity act is going to give us.

MS had blood drawn for a pre race drug test. The ointment is still being applied. Therefore Betamethasone is still going to be in his system, however I believe the threshold is higher and he will run.

Having the same drug rules from coast to coast will help immensely.

The vet at Pimlico said there is zero tolerance in Maryland, if it shows on a test he’ll have to scratch. They are using 2 labs for the test, with one sample. But I think they may not be using the ointment, she said they have 3 points of reference to see how it moves thru his system. Apparently they pulled a sample last Thursday as well to provide the inbetween sample.

Part of the problem is the medication rules are not consistent across the USA. 
A California vet prescribed a medication that is allowed in California, but is illegal in Kentucky.

I would think Baffert or someone on his staff would be on top of the medication rules in Kentucky for the Kentucky Derby.

So, the attorney blames Covid on not being able to implement Bafferts overseeing his horses with the vet he had picked. Really? Did he think it was going to be easy to do this? 
 

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/250083/hores-advisory-role-for-baffert-did-not-materialize

I also hate the mainstream media who does not know about horse racing. They also said Gamine tested positive the same day and was disqualified. -They are referring to Kentucky Oaks/Derby weekend. And this was our local media (sports).

Meanwhile, our local writer Dick Gerardi is predicting a one-two Baffert Finish in the Preakness Medina Spirit - first, Concert Tour - second, with Midnight Bourbon possible third.

Linda J. 
Northeast Philly 

All these excuses seem a bit much.